St Barnabas Bethnal Green facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Barnabas Bethnal Green |
|
|---|---|
| Church of St Barnabas Bethnal Green | |
.jpg) |
|
| Location | Grove Road, Bow, Tower Hamlets, London E3 5TG |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Tower Hamlets |
| Archdeaconry | Hackney |
| Diocese | London |
.jpg)
St Barnabas Bethnal Green is a historic church located in Bow, London, England. It is an Anglican church, meaning it belongs to the Church of England. You can find it where Roman Road and Grove Road meet in the Tower Hamlets area.
Contents
History of St Barnabas Church
The building we see today as St Barnabas Church started its life in 1865. It was first built for the Baptist Union Church.
Building the Church
The church was designed by an architect named William Wigginton in 1865. He used a style called Gothic Revival, which looks like old medieval churches. The building was made with yellow bricks, decorated with red and black stripes. It had a wide main area (chancel and nave), a gallery at the back, and a tall, eight-sided tower with a spire.
In 1868, the Church of England bought the building. Two years later, in 1870, it was officially made a Church of England church. This special ceremony was led by John Jackson, who was the Bishop of London at the time. The church was given its own area, or "parish," from nearby churches.
The Vicarage and Early Priests
A large brick house for the church's priest, called a vicarage, was built in 1876. It was located south of Roman Road. The first priest to live there was George Barnes. He was the vicar from 1870 to 1902. He also held important roles like being president of Sion College.
World War II Damage and Rebuilding
During the Second World War, the church was badly damaged by bombs. After the war ended, the church needed a lot of repairs. The tall spire was removed, but the main tower and the side walls were kept.
The church was rebuilt by an architect named J Anthony Lewis. He asked a sculptor named Don Potter to create new artworks for the church. Potter made a sculpture called "The Four Evangelists" for the outside of the building around 1957. He also created a special stone font for baptisms. In 1957, a new electric organ was put into the church. A plaque inside the church says it was officially reopened on June 18, 1957.
Before 1965, St Barnabas was part of the Bethnal Green area. Today, St Barnabas is part of a group of Anglican churches in Bow. This group includes Bow Church, St Paul's, Bow Common, St Paul's, Old Ford, and All Hallows, Bow.
St Barnabas School
There was also a school connected to the church called St Barnabas National School. It was in a Gothic-style building nearby. The school started in 1866 and was also used as a mission church. It closed in 1905 and became a church institute.
Priests of St Barnabas
A list inside the church shows the names of the priests who have served St Barnabas. Here are some of them:
- 1870-1902: George Barnes
- 1902-1920: Alexander Bassell Winter
- 1920-1941: Thomas Felix
- 1942-1945: William Charles Smith
- 1945-1949: William George Hossack Redmond Parr
- 1950-1960: George William Saunders
- 1961-1967: Christopher Dudley Johnson
- 1967-1972: John Whitmore Griffiths
- 1973-1975: Arthur Robert Royall
- 1975-1976: Michael Harold Champneys
- 1976-1992: Fredrick Mark Rollinson
- 1992-1996: John David Marshall Peton
- 1997-2000: John Arthur Webber
- 2001–present: Brian Charles Ralph
Church Activities
From 2003 to 2012, St Barnabas Church played a big part in the St Barnabas Community Fete. This event was also known as Bowstock. The church's priest, Father Brian Ralph, was the director of this community festival.
